The present invention relates generally to a chair apparatus and specifically to a chair incorporating an exercising apparatus therein.
In recent years, the increase in urbanization and mechanization of society has led to a corresponding decrease in the amount of physical exercise in which members of our society regularly engage. Physicians and physical fitness experts have been generally concerned with the public health, and especially with the relationship between good health and a regular program of vigorous physical exercise. This problem is more acute in the case of the urban dweller who typically resides in an apartment or limited space dwelling and works during the day in an office, mostly in a seated position. Thus, the nature of most individuals' employment activities limit his daily physical exercise, while the limited space in the home and surroundings reduces the opportunity to obtain a positive exercise program from daily activities. In an effort to provide home facilities for rectifying the lack of an area to exercise, various knock-down and collapsible exercising apparatus have been proposed. In the past it has also been proposed to provide various exercise gyms to which a person may join as a member by paying a membership fee and regular payment or usage fees.
A prior apparatus for home use have generally not been satisfactory in that collapsible devices are unattractive and must be stored out of sight when the room is to be used for day-to-day living or entertainment. Devices which store the exercise apparatus in furniture require a number of steps to set up the device and are bulky or cumbersome. Most prior art devices do not provide an attractive piece of furniture which can be used at all times as a piece of furniture, and in which the individual can have an exercise program without moving from his chair or from the front of the television set or other entertainment in his home.
The present invention is specifically directed towards a chair which can be used for watching television, relaxing or reclining, but in which the individual can perform a complete exercise program while sitting in the chair and watching television, listening to music, or the like. The chair does not have to be set up like prior art collapsible or convertible devices and does not require the seated person to leave his seat to set up and perform the different exercise routines.
Typical prior U.S. patents can be seen in the Miller Pat. No. 3,738,649 for a combined chair and exercising device in which a chair has a space beneath the seat portion with exercising devices mounted on a platform. The platform can be pulled forward from the chair to allow pedaling and pulling or other usage of the, exercise devices attached to the platform. The Propst Pat. No. 4,452,449 shows an office seating system which incorporates physical activity features to allow the individual to exercise while seated in an office job. The Moyer Pat. No. 2,786,512 shows a therapeutic chair with a tilt top to convert to an exercise table. Snyder, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,667 shows an exercise device with combined spring tension and frictional resistance formed into a stool and convertible to a plurality of exercising devices. Chavin, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,973,945 shows a combination exercising and massaging apparatus in which an exercise chair can be converted to a table or to various exercising positions and devices. The Pilates Pat. No. 1,969,901 shows a chair convertible to various exercise positions and devices. The Wilson Pat. No. 881,521 for a mechanical chair which is converted into a variety of exercising devices such a a rowing exerciser. The Caldwell Pat. No. 414,675 for an exercising chair with a tiltable back for performing certain exercise routines.
In contrast to these prior art devices, the present exercising chair is a conventional chair with a multitude of exercising devices incorporated into the back, arms, side panels and beneath the chair for use by a seated individual without moving from the chair and for providing a complete exercise routine without leaving the chair and while watching television, listening to music or other entertainment, but which also serves as a standard living room chair, before and after the exercise routine.